Hello, I was born in Bootle and now live in Melbourne, Australia with my husband and 2 grown up children. My grandfather, Peter Foy was the brother of the unfortunate boy Thomas Foy who was murdered at the age of 6 in Lyons Street, Bootle which was later changed to Beresford Street due to murders being committed. This news is a huge shock to me and wish to know as much as you could help me with. I am really interested in my great, great grandparents Jacobi McGuirk and Maria Nino who I know nothing about. I believe they would have married around the year 1868 or thereabouts. I would very much appreciate any information you may have for me. Thank you in sincere appreciation.

Welcome to the forum, Shelagh. Here is some information that I've borrowed from Fatboy Joe's post about the teapot murders. I'm sure Joe and othet members of the forum will be able to help you further.

Heading out of Liverpool, through Bootle, along Derby Road, if you look carefully, to your left, you'll notice Beresford Street. It is very easy to miss. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Bootle was nicknamed 'Brutal Bootle.' The towns reputation was based on the dockland slum in the south-west of Bootle - Dundas, Lyons and Raleigh Streets. The census of 1871 reported that of the 850 people crammed into Lyons Street, 140 were lodgers. Lyons Street was the scene of appalling violence, two sailors lured several women to the street and murdered them. The killings were dubbed 'The Teapot Murders' - Lyons was a popular brand of tea at the time. A Maggie Donoghue was killed there in 1903, a child, Tommy Foy, was murdered there in 1908.It is even claimed that in 1896, demonic figures appeared to a mother and daughter staying at 48 Lyons Street. Finally, just before the First World War, it was decided to rename Lyons Street, Beresford street.

The killing of a six year old boy in Bootle in 1908 remains unsolved after the main suspect was found not guilty.

At around 9pm on Saturday 24th October that year Tommy Lyons was playing with friends outside his Lyons Street home. His father Peter came out and took him to some shops on Derby Road, giving him a penny. Peter then went to a pub leaving Tommy playing a few doors away from his home with his older brother Peter and another boy Thomas O'Shaughnessy.

Tommy became separated from his brother, going to a butchers with another resident of the street, John Trench. He bought Tommy a pork pie and they were seen outside the shop together at 10pm, but he was never seen alive again. About an hour and a half later, Peter and O'Shaughnessy heard groans from an empty cellar and heavy breathing, so they went around the back entry to investigate, but had a bottle thrown at them. At that time they didn't know that Tommy was missing so they continued playing, but did see Trench in the street alone about fifteen minutes later.

The following morning Tommy's mother went to the police to report him missing. Whilst she was out, Trench ran into their home and woke his father, telling him that his son was dead in a cellar with half his head cut off. He then left, bumping into Mrs Foy on the way out, telling her that he had received this information from another neighbour called Monteith and that people should start searching cellars.

At 730pm on the Monday night Tommy's brother Peter and O'Shaughnessy found the body of the little boy in the cellar from where they had heard groans two nights before. His face and the upper part of his body was covered in cuts and bruises, and his trousers had been removed. It seemed clear the killing had taken place there, as there was blood on the walls.The following day the coroner Mr Brighouse adjourned the inquest for two weeks, but not before Peter told him of Trench's comments on the Sunday. This led to police acting swiftly to arrest the 21 year old scaler, who strongly protested his innocence when he was charged.

At the resumed inquest on 10th November there were angry scenes when Trench said he could prove where he was on the night of the murder and some women present shouted that he was a liar. Both he and another neighbour said they had seen Tommy with two foreigners, but Trench couldn't explain how he knew on the Sunday morning that Tommy was dead even though the body wasn't found until the next day. However the murder weapon hadn't been recovered and nobody had seen Trench enter or leave the cellar. In his summing up the coroner said that the evidence against Trench was circumstantial and scanty but despite this direction the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against him, leading to his committal for trial at the next assizes. Justice Channell On 14th December Trench appeared before Mr Justice Channell at the assizes in St George's Hall. Mrs Monteith denied having said anything to Trench about the killing and he was unable to explain how he knew about the death before his details were circulated as missing. The evidence against Trench though was entirely circumstantial and after two hours deliberation the jury found him not guilty.

Suspicions still abound, Trench and his family moved to Aber Street, off Irlam Road. Nobody was prosecuted for Tommy's murder and the streets notoriety due to this and other killings means it was later renamed Beresford Street.

I looked on Anc and found some of Jacobi (James I think) McGuirk's children's possible marriages. Mary Ann Mcguirk to William Dunning at Our Lady of Lourdes and St Bernards in 1894. Also Catherine Veronica McGuirk on 11 Aug 1896 to Arthur Haghes at the same church. There is also a James McGurk (Latinised as Jacobi?) marrying a Mary Smith on 19 May 1863 At St Anthony@s. Hope this helps you.

When you said "Will p.m. information" I don't know what p.m. stands for, sorry. Could you tell me please?It can be difficult finding out about these people, particularly with the surname McGuirk which wouldn't be an uncommon surname.My absolute query is regarding Maria Nino and where she actually came from in Spain. I'd love to know how to find out about that.Also Jacobi may have been Jewish and changed his surname to sound more Irish. I have been told that Jacobi and Maria met in Dublin, Ireland and lived in 7 Murphys Cottages, Dublin, married in St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin.I am so keen to find out more about them and hope that it's happy news not sad!